"Owning the Future" Co-operative Party London Conference 23 January 2021

 

Dear John On the morning of Saturday 23rd January, the Co-operative Party is hosting a virtual regional conference with Party members from across London.

This year – due to the ongoing pandemic – we have to do things a little differently.  Instead of meeting in person, we are holding a virtual event so that, in the tradition of co-operation, you can help shape the policy ideas we’ll take to all levels of Government, as well as hear more on the ongoing work of the Party across London.  We will also focus on the forthcoming May local government elections and how we can support candidates campaigning throughout the current restrictions of movement.   The programme outline includes: 9.30 AM Party Policy (livestreamed on Co-operative Party conference webpage): Stella Creasy MP - keynote welcoming address Social Care Policy - panel debate followed by facilitated Q&A Reinvigorating Our High Streets Policy - panel debate followed by facilitated Q&A Chantal Lee, Co-operative Party Equalities Officer - the Party's equality and diversity programme  Matt Partridge, Regional Development Officer - increasing activism across the region 11.15AM: Our Region (held on Zoom) Co-operative Party Policy Platform for London – we launch and discuss our manifesto for May's London Assembly elections  Spotlight on Elections - hear from Labour & Co-operative candidates standing in the London Assembly elections Campaigning during a pandemic - what co-operators are doing now to tackle #FoodJustice and to protect their valued community assets London Co-operative Councillors Network launch January 2021 23   Register Here   9:30-1:15 Virtual livestream & Zoom

Do join us to discuss and support the development of co-operative politics across London. Issy Oozeerally Events Co-ordinator

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"Why we need you to stand as a Labour Councillor"

 

Why I would hope that candidates to be Councillors will also be "Labour and Co-operative" I am pleased that the Party is organising this training next week for members interested in standing in the local elections due to held in May 2021.  

As Chair of London Labour Link I must also chase for a date for our training offer for UNISON members who are interested in becoming a Councillor. There will be a number of by elections in 2021 as well. 

Check out the Labour Party event https://events.labour.org.uk/event/324240

Online event

in 6 days

With over 5000 Council seats up for grabs in May 2021 we need to ensure that we have candidates in place to fight every one of these seats and give people the opportunity across the country to vote for a Labour candidate. Join us for this sessions that we hope will encourage you to put yourself forward.

 Monday 11th January 5:00pm - 6:00pm

 Online event

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Newham Full Council Meeting 17 September 2018 (my twitter feed)

A busy evening. Confirmed new Chief Executive. Passed motions, submitted petitions, deputation that schools should have ballots before deciding to become academies, Councillor questions, public questions, Mayor and CEO report.

At @NewhamLondon Full Council meeting in historic Stratford Town Hall. Delegation speaking to meeting on anti-academy campaign, just moved petition on behalf residents from #BrassettPoint about repairs & #ASB (@WestHamBLP Cllrs have been #walkabout with residents)

His first speech to Full Council, Cllr @danielblaney speaks about how we need to change traffic management and support the near 50% of residents who do not have a car. “The roads belong to all of not just cars”@NewhamLondon

If this was a unison conference or TUC we would clap first time speakers :)

Now Cllr @labourpartyCTN Shaban Mohammed moves motion on #Academisation ballots calling for all schools considering becoming a #academy to hold a ballot. @CllrSarahRuiz seconds @NewhamLondon

#Cllr @rkdasgupta moves @CoopParty sponsored motion against #modernSlavery . I spoke about ensuring that the £1.4 billion @NewhamLondon #pension fund takes action to ensure that we do not allow such exploitation of workers in companies we invest in

Council meeting over. Now presentation by @LGBCE on electoral review of @NewhamLondon for 2022 elections. #SaveWestHam ward @WestHamBLP

Picture of #Newham @UKLabour & @CoopParty councillors supporting campaign and @NewhamLondon motion on #modernslavery

#UNDC18 Motion 59.1 Privatisation and PFI - Building the Campaign (aka No to Moody Mutuals)

President, Conference. John Gray, NEC, speaking strongly in favour of amendment 59.1 and against the privatisation of our public services by so called "Public Service Mutuals".

To be clear Unison is a supporter of the Co-operative movement and I happen personally like many people here, to be a longstanding member of the Co-operative Party and try whenever possible to shop and buy from coops and genuine mutuals.

However, "Public Service Mutuals" are not and never can be genuine co-operatives. Real co-operatives are bottom up, formed by grass root workers in order to tackle exploitative employers not to replace democratic and accountable public services. The international definition of cooperatives states that a real Coop is an “association of persons united voluntarily”. Note the word voluntary, staff are being forced into Public Service Mutuals against their will so they can never be cooperatives and no one in the Co-operative movement should support them.

There is one reason and one reason why the Tories are planning these dodgy Mutuals and that is a political one. The Tories want to privatise all public Services. councils, schools, health services - everything. This attack is ideological.

And let us spell this out to our friends in Co-operative movement who may be taken in by this. In unison we have a long, first hand and bitter experience of what happens when you privatise under whatever name you want to call it. Workers pay, their pensions, their holidays, their sick pay is cut, cut and cut.

Cutting pay, terms and conditions of its is the only way they will save money and if they didn’t they will go bust and be snapped up by bigger for profit privateers.

Ironically, in recent years there has been a minor revival in directly employed public services. With many local authorities (even Tory Councils) realising that they can save money by economies of scale and take control of services by bringing them in house. Direct Labour organisations such as APSE have produced stacks of reports and evidence on how you can keep services in house, improve quality and save money.

Conference, we want to work with the cooperative movement and we want to support and grow genuine cooperatives but we will not tolerate or accept privatisation however it is dressed up and we will call it out and tell it as it is.

Conference, please support this amendment.

Be a Labour and Co-op Councillor (Need to Join Co-op Party by Tuesday 31 October)

This is a little complicated but if you are a Labour Party member, who believes in the Co-operative movement and have been selected to stand for Labour at next year's May 2018 local elections....

bear with me...

and if you also want to stand as a Labour and Cooperative Candidate (the Labour and Co-operative Party have a pact between them) then you should :-

...be a member of the CO-OP PARTY (obviously) before the 31 October 2017.

and you will also have to persuade, if you are standing in a "multi member ward" next year, that all your fellow Labour candidates in that ward, want to be a Labour and Co-op candidate and are members of the Co-op (both parties by 31.10.17).

You also have to be a member of an actual Co-op to be a member of the Co-operative Party such as a retail or saving co-op and then get the formal endorsement of the Party. You are also strongly advised to attend Co-op party training events.

Job done. Then get yourself actually elected at the next elections.

The Co-op and the Co-operative Party: 100 years of pioneering the future

Dear Friend,

Starting from next week, eligible members of the Co-operative Group ('the Co-op') will begin receiving their ballots for this year’s AGM, by post or email.

Once again, Co-op members will vote on continuing the partnership between the Co-op and the Co-operative Party – can you help us spread the word?

Here are two ways you can help:

1. If you are eligible to vote (or think you might be), pledge your vote here, so we know we can count on your support
2. If you are ineligible, or not a member of the Co-op, help us spread the word:
• Click here to tweet your support
• Share the pledge page on Facebook
• Retweet a short explainer video
• Email your friends

When a group of tradesmen banded together 150 years ago to create the World’s first co-op, they didn’t stop at ethical business. Their ambition was even greater: to transform society itself.
Co-operation is, and has always been, political. Via the shopping basket or the ballot, the savings account or on the street, co-operators have always shaped and challenged the world in which we live. But there’s so much still to do – let’s vote once again to keep it going.

Yours in co-operation,
Claire McCarthy
General Secretary
The Co-operative Party

A Voice for the Co-operative Movement - Vote to keep the Co-op political voice

Dear John, From today, many of the 2m members of the Co-operative Group will begin voting on ‘Motion 12’, on whether or not to keep the Co-operative Group’s link with the Co-operative Party Click here to see if you are able to vote, and learn more You may be eligible to vote if in the past year you have spent more than £250 in store using your co-op membership card, or if you have a Co-operative Bank account or Insurance policy. How to vote Check that you’re eligible to vote here Your voting pack may arrive by either post or email from today- so look out. You can complete your ballot either online using the voting code provided, by post. Vote ‘YES’ to motion 12 on political subscriptions to keep the link with the Party Let the Party know when you’ve voted. I’m proud to be a member of the Co-operative Group, a member of the Co-operative Party, and one of its MPs. I’m also particularly proud that this year the Co-operative Group’s Board have decided to endorse a YES vote for the continued relationship with the Party. It’s a huge endorsement of everything we’re achieving. Whether it’s championing fair tax, training the next generation of co-operative activists, or taking on the payday lenders, I know first-hand the difference we can make when the movement and the Party work together. So let’s keep it going. Let’s Keep it Co-op. If, like me you are a member of the Co-operative Group- vote for motion 12. Yours in co-operation, Stella Stella Creasy Labour & Co-operative MP, Walthamstow PS: In case you missed it, big news: the Co-operative Group's Board and National Members Council yesterday endorsed a YES vote - more details here